Ballet favourite Giselle and 1940s film noir combine in a new ballet by Mary-Jane O'Reilly and her long term partner and co-creative Phil O'Reilly.
Ballet Noir, what becomes of the broken-hearted is a contemporary spin on the story of wronged women who take their revenge on men.
And it adds filmic imagery to the onstage dancing. Here the women wear sharply tailored and close fitting suits that look like they should be impossible to dance in.
Mary-Jane, co-founder of the legendary Limbs dance company, presented a preview performance of the work in 2019. Now it's been developed into a full length work after catching the eye of the Elemental Festival, currently showing in Auckland.
Mary-Jane is also the co-creator of a show known here as In Flagrante which was doing well internationally until the pandemic struck.
Lynn Freeman talks with Mary-Jane O'Reilly about Ballet Noir, what becomes of the broken-hearted. It opens on July 23 at the The Bruce Mason Centre as part of Auckland's Elemental Festival 2021.
